Cristhian Mosquera

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mosquera and the second or maternal family name is Ibargüen.

Cristhian Mosquera
Personal information
Full name Cristhian Andrey Mosquera Ibargüen
Date of birth (2004-06-27) 27 June 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Alicante, Spain
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Valencia
Number 3
Youth career
–2013 Carolinas
2013–2016 Hércules
2016–2021 Valencia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Valencia B 14 (0)
2021– Valencia 56 (0)
International career‡
2018–2019 Spain U15 4 (0)
2019 Spain U16 4 (0)
2021–2022 Spain U18 8 (0)
2022–2023 Spain U19 8 (0)
2024– Spain U21 4 (0)
2024– Spain U23 1 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:20, 21 October 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:46, 16 October 2024 (UTC)

Cristhian Andrey Mosquera Ibargüen (born 27 June 2004) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays mainly as a centre-back for La Liga club Valencia.

Early life

Born in Alicante, Valencian Community to Colombian parents, Mosquera first played basketball in his hometown, before joining futsal team San Blas Cañavate, as his cousin was playing there and they were missing a player for a youth tournament. Having later moved to play in Carolines Altes [ca]-based team SCD Carolinas, he eventually joined the city main football club, Hércules CF.[2][3][4][5]

Club career

Mosquera joined Valencia CF's youth setup in 2016, aged 12.[2][4][6] On 22 August 2020, while still in the Juvenil A squad, he renewed his contract with the club until 2023.[7] He made his senior debut with the reserves on 4 September 2021, starting in a 3–1 Tercera División RFEF home win over CD Castellón B.[8]

Having already featured on the bench for a few Liga fixtures that season,[3][9][10] he made his first team debut on the 16 January 2022, starting in a 1–0 away win over CD Atlético Baleares, for the season's Copa del Rey. Playing every minutes of the game in the center of a 3-men defense, his coach José Bordalás praised him as the best on the field that night.[11][12][13] At the age of 17 years, six months and 23 days, he became the eight-youngest player in the club's history, and the youngest centre-back.[2][4][13][14]

Set to further renew his contract with the Che until 2025,[15][16] Mosquera made his La Liga debut on the 19 January 2022 by starting in a 1–1 draw against Sevilla FC, again impressing in the axis of the defense for what was a difficult game against the likes of Rafa Mir.[6][17][18] This made him the fourth-youngest footballer to ever play in La Liga with Los murciélagos, surpassing players such as Ferran Torres, Lee Kang-in or Yunus Musah.[19][20]

In August 2023, Mosquera was definitely promoted to the main squad of the Che.[21]

International career

Mosquera represented Spain at under-15,[22] under-16[7][23] and under-18 levels,[2][14][24] winning a friendly tournament with the latter in October 2021, against Turkey, Romania and Portugal.[9][25][26]

He also holds a Colombian passport, which makes him eligible to play for La Tricolor as well as Spain.[2][4][6]

Style of play

Mainly playing as a centre-back during his time at Valencia's academy, Mosquera can also play as a full-back on both sides.[7] When he made the switch from futsal to association football as a youngster, he actually played as a winger, where he first showed his athletic abilities.[4]

Already a strong physical presence despite his young age, he is described as a quick defender, with good anticipation and ability to play the ball, helping his team move forward.[2][3][5][9][13] Miguel Ángel Angulo – his coach at Mestalla – described the youngster's profile as characterized by his "physical condition and good technical qualities, powerful in the air, and mature for his age".[3]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 October 2024[27]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Valencia B 2021–22 Tercera División RFEF 4 0 — — — 4 0
2022–23 Segunda Federación 10 0 — — — 10 0
Total 14 0 — — — 14 0
Valencia 2021–22 La Liga 6 0 1 0 — — 7 0
2022–23 3 0 1 0 — — 4 0
2023–24 36 0 2 0 — — 38 0
2024–25 11 0 0 0 — — 11 0
Total 56 0 4 0 — — 60 0
Career total 70 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 74 0

Honours

Spain U23

References

  1. ^ "Cristhian Mosquera". LaLiga Santander. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Valle, Conrado (17 January 2022). "Mosquera, el central más precoz de la historia del Valencia" [Mosquera, the most precocious stopper of Valencia's history]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Lowe, Sid; Christenson, Marcus (7 October 2021). "Next Generation 2021: 60 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e García, Andrés (17 January 2022). "Cristhian Mosquera: el niño que soñaba con la NBA" [Cristhian Mosquera: the kid who dreamed with the NBA] (in Spanish). Super Deporte. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b Gomis, Salva (22 September 2021). "Cristhian Mosquera aprovecha la oportunidad y se asienta en el once del Valencia Mestalla" [Cristhian Mosquera takes advantage of the opportunity and settles in the starting XI of Valencia Mestalla]. EsportBase (in Spanish). Valencia Plaza [ca]. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b c EFE (20 January 2022). "Quién es Cristhian Mosquera, el jugador que recién debutó en el Valencia y ya le 'llueven' elogios" [Who is Cristhian Mosquera, the player who recently debuted at Valencia and is already 'showered' with praises]. GOL (in Spanish). Caracol Televisión. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "El Valencia renueva al Juvenil Christian Mosquera" [Valencia renew the Juvenil Christian Mosquera]. EsportBase (in Spanish). Valencia Plaza. 22 August 2020. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  8. ^ "El VCF Mestalla inicia la temporada con victoria ante el CD Castellón B (3–1)" [VCF Mestalla start the season with a win over CD Castellón B (3–1)] (in Spanish). Nostre Sport. 5 September 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  9. ^ a b c Blanc, Manuel (15 October 2021). "¿Quién es Cristhian Mosquera? El defensa que puede estrenarse en el Camp Nou" [Who is Cristhian Mosquera? The defender that may debut at the Camp Nou]. ElDesmarque [eu] (in Spanish). Mediaset España. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  10. ^ Koh, Ignatius (28 December 2021). "Cristhian Mosquera: The next bright star of Valencia". Batzine. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  11. ^ Valle, Conrado (16 January 2022). "Un Valencia práctico y a otra ronda" [A practical Valencia and to another round] (in Spanish). Diario AS. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  12. ^ Álvarez, Fernando (16 January 2022). "El Valencia tira de oficio para evitar otra sorpresa del Atlético Baleares en Copa" [Valencia resort to know-how to avoid another surprise from Atlético Baleares in the Cup]. Marca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  13. ^ a b c López Sanfeliu, Álex (17 January 2022). "Mosquera, otro central para la causa y con 17 años: el mejor en su debut" [Mosquera, another stopper for the cause and aged 17: the best on his debut]. ElDesmarque (in Spanish). Mediaset España. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Mosquera, octavo más joven en la historia, y Javi Guerra debutan con Valencia" [Mosquera, eight-youngest in the history, and Javi Guerra debut with Valencia]. Plaza Deportiva (in Spanish). Valencia Plaza [ca]. 16 January 2022. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  15. ^ Torres, David (17 January 2022). "El Valencia CF llega a un acuerdo para renovar a Cristhian Mosquera hasta 2025" [Valencia CF reach an agreement to renew Cristhian Mosquera until 2025]. ElDesmarque (in Spanish). Mediaset España. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  16. ^ García, Andrés (18 January 2022). "Mosquera renueva hasta 2025" [Mosquera renews until 2025] (in Spanish). Levante-EMV. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  17. ^ Pardo, Pau (20 January 2022). "Cristhian Mosquera: Un baile con la más fea para empezar" [Cristhian Mosquera: a ball with the ugliest one to start]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  18. ^ Álvarez, Fernando (19 January 2022). "El Valencia descabalga al Sevilla de su persecución del liderato" [Valencia bring down Sevilla from their pursuit to the leadership]. Marca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  19. ^ Torres, David (19 January 2022). "Mosquera revienta récords y deja atrás a Ferran Torres, Kang In Lee o Yunus Musah" [Mosquera reinvents records and leaves behind Ferran Torres, Kang In Lee or Yunus Musah]. ElDesmarque (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  20. ^ Herrero, Nacho (20 January 2022). "Mosquera, el central del futuro… y del presente del Valencia" [Mosquera, the stopper of Valencia's future... and present]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Mosquera, nuevo 'fichaje' del Valencia" [Mosquera, new 'signing' of Valencia] (in Spanish). Las Provincias. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  22. ^ "La Selección Española Sub-15 de Julen Guerrero, campeona del Trofeo Pinatar Arena tras derrotar a Holanda (1–0)" [Julen Guerrero's Spain under-15 national team, champion of the Pinatar Arena Tournament after defeating the Netherlands (1–0)]. EsportBase (in Spanish). Valencia Plaza. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  23. ^ "OFICIAL | Cambio en la convocatoria de la Selección española Sub-16 para la AGS Cup Albir" [OFFICIAL | Change in the call-up of the Spain under-16 national team for the AGS Cup Albir]. SeFutbol (in Spanish). RFEF. 29 November 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Christian Mosquera y Jesús Santiago, del Valencia CF, convocados con España sub18" [Christian Mosquera and Jesús Santiago, from Valencia CF, called up with Spain under-18] (in Spanish). Valencia Base. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  25. ^ "Cristhian Mosquera convocado con la Selección española Sub-18 para jugar el Torneo Internacional de Rumanía" [Cristhian Mosquera called up with Spain under-18 national team to play the International Tournament of Romania] (in Spanish). Valencia Base. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  26. ^ "España sub-18 se adjudica el Torneo IV Naciones disputado en Rumanía" [Spain under-18 win the Four Nations Tournament played in Romania]. Valencia Base (in Spanish). 13 October 2021. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  27. ^ Cristhian Mosquera at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  28. ^ Ronay, Barney (9 August 2024). "Camello's extra-time double clinches football gold for Spain against France". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 August 2024.